Is your gift secretly spying? Mozilla ranks tech security in holiday shopping list
Mozilla's holiday gift list breaks down how much data certain tech gifts collect about you.
Mozilla details how creepy each tech product is in its "Privacy Not Included" gift list.
In the age of connected devices, more gadgets than ever have the ability to spy on you or share your info with third parties. So if you're planning on buying the hottest or latest tech product for someone this holiday season, it might be a good idea to check out its privacy policy before you give it to someone.
Mozilla , the company behind the Firefox web browser, shared a "Privacy Not Included" gift list to give an idea of how much data certain gadgets collect with or without your knowledge.
The guide includes 70 products, and only 32 got Mozilla's badge for meeting minimum security standards. Mozilla says, "To receive a badge, products must: use encryption; have automatic security updates; manage security vulnerabilities using tools like bug bounty programs and clear points of contact; and require users to change the default password if a password is required."
Mozilla also considers things like the readability of the product's privacy policy, whether it automatically deletes info about you, and the reasons it shares your data with third parties.
The gift list has a "Creep-O-Meter" that lets users rank how suspicious they think each item is. The creepy scale goes from "not creepy" to "super creepy" and has a corresponding emoji to go with it.
You can check the list below for some ranking examples. Note that CNET didn't independently test or verify these claims.
- Nintendo Switch -- a little creepy
- Apple TV -- somewhat creepy
- Peloton Bike -- somewhat creepy
- Hidrate Spark 2.0 Water Bottle -- very creepy
- Amazon Echo -- very creepy
- Fredi Baby Monitor -- super creepy
You can click here to see the full list and breakdown for each.
Update, 11:40 a.m. PT: Added info about Creep-O-Meter.